Life from Which the Pendulum Swings
by TrippleThreatTrio
Summary: Everyone fights against time, even goddesses. (Triggers: gender-swapping)
1. Chapter 1

This fiction has been requested by ObeliskX.  
This fiction is influenced by the works and critique of Sombereyes, who will continue to be an ongoing support for this fiction.  
This _**is**_ a gender-swapping fan fiction that plays with a multi-universe.  
I do not own Ah! My Goddess.

 **Life from Which the Pendulum Swings**

 **Chapter 1:**

 **Ah! Don't Sweat the Small Stuff**

From water to wine, life from death, there were times when forces unlike any other in nature, performed miraculous feats of prowess. For mortal-kind, these feats were inexplicable, and were called impossible miracles. For immortal-kind, gods and demons alike, such tasks were merely tiny little whims carried on by the greater force that surrounded them. For the spirts and everyone else, it was merely the law of nature and little more.

Gods and demons called these acts contracts. These binding agreements could sway the ultimate powers that be in a multitude of different directions. As such, only carefully trained wish granters could ever utilize the true power beholden to the immortals tasked with servitude. Wish granting could be dangerous, gifting vastly undetermined results.

The will of human-kind could crush the very fabric of all that existed, and, they wouldn't even know it. As frightfully engulfing as such a thing could be, it was never at the forefront the troubles that plagued immortal minds.

No, the fears of the immortals were more domestic in nature. More secular to the joys and struggles of family, and bloodline. They were a people governed by their faith, but more so, by their aptitude.

As such, it was a wonderful day in the heavens, as one particularly busy mother tended to her three wonderful offspring.

"Belldandy," A goddess with long black hair called to her child from atop the garden steps. "Belldandy, come along now. Your teacher is here, and you mustn't keep her waiting."

"Mother, is now really the time for this?" Belldandy sighed as she put the flower down, dejectedly doing as was requested of her. "I'd rather wait for Celestine to return."

The woman smiled sadly. "You must continue your training."

"Must is such a strong word," Belldandy replied, feeling as though she was being unduly forced to switch tutors. "It is not that I must continue, it is that you wish for me to do so. I am already a goddess, first class, unlimited license holder. Is that not enough?"

The goddess before her, a former valkyrie, and current inter-species trial officer lowered her head. She knew that such a thing was not so simple. Immortals lived for far too long to go without many aspects of training. One license was not the entire make of a goddess, merely the start. "This tutor wishes to instruct you on something that Celestine couldn't possibly teach you. She cannot replace him, but she can offer you something else to do while you await his return."

"What might that possibly be?" Belldandy asked as she reached entrance to the gardens. In spite of her perfect stature, her clenched fists spoke of her fury.

"The path of the fates, child." An older woman laughed as she came to stand at the edge of the steps. "I am Neith, weaver of the fates, but even more than that, I am the stringer of tales the bards have yet to sing. You may be at ease," she seated herself upon one of the marbled banisters, crossing one leg over the other. "The tale I have for you today is one quite unlike any other. I'd suspect you'd call it a quandary."

"Is that truly so, Neith?"

"As true as the bow I carry at my side. However girl, I would not so quickly disregard its lesson, odd though it might seem."

"If I may say so, ma'am, I don't wish to learn anything else. It isn't that I'm a complete goddess, I know I am not. It is just that I don't feel up to training alongside anyone else. Celestine will return soon, I know it to be true."

Neith merely smiled. "Celestine will return to you. That is undoubtedly correct, my string weaved such a thing. However, it will be in a time far from now, when you are no longer interested in the truths Celestine has for you."

"If that is true, then why shall I train at all?" Belldandy asked as she pulled her legs up into a sitting position, floating there amongst the flowers. She turned to her mother once again. "Surely, this is a joke of some kind. Urd? Father? Mother, surely it isn't you."

"It is not, Belldandy," her mother said sternly. "It is fact that you shall obey this request, because I'm the one who begs of you to do so. Listen to Neith, learn from her Belldandy, please do for me that much."

"It seems you give me no choice in the matter," Belldandy sighed, turning begrudgingly to her tutor. "So then, I will lend you my ear for one lesson. You have that long to prove that you have something ample enough to teach me. I'm well beyond the age of rote memorization, defensive combat, and applied theory."

"I'm no armature either, I assure you," Neith laughed as she produced a spool of hempen yarn from thin air. "Now then, as dimensional theory states -"

"With every choice you make, a copy of yourself, in a mirrored universe, makes the opposite choice," Belldandy interjected. "There are millions of universes, and, thus millions of choices. Ten dimensional beings such as ourselves, are fluid because we can see every dimension."

Neith sighed as her student recited the passage as if it had been out of a book. "Well, so-to-speak, anyway. You have an impeccably sharp tongue academically, Belldandy."

"Celestine trained me very well. I am truly his protégé," Belldandy muttered with a slightly bored expression.

"Indeed, he did impress upon your lessons well," Neith murmured sadly. "Yet, he trained you as a goddess should be trained. In other universes though, Belldandy, you are not a goddess, but instead a god."

"Yet, I am a goddess here and now. Am I not?" Belldandy pointed out, slightly confused. "Why would he possibly train me to be anything other than what I am?"

Neith merely shook her head. "A better question is; why wouldn't he teach you of all things fundamental to creation as a whole? Furthermore, why wouldn't he teach you of your past incarnations?"

With a flick of her wrist, she sent the ball of hempen yarn Belldandy's way. The girl caught it, and immediately, it turned into a ball of crystal. "That girl, is a seer's orb."

"These are trinkets that aren't within my current jurisdiction. I can't use it," Belldandy said, holding it away from her form. "It is absolutely against regulations, even if I am a first class goddess."

"I am authorized to teach with it," Neith said with a wave of her hand. "What you will find within lingers a history archived from another you…a different you…in a creation much the opposite from this one."

"And if I were to gaze into it?" Belldandy asked, almost afraid to do so.

At this, Neith stood from her place and dusted herself off. "Then you would be sucked in, and have a glimpse into that life. You would experience from it…and you would awaken a wiser person for it."

"The choice is ultimately yours, Belldandy. I cannot force you," her mother said softly. "However, as an immortal, you should live many lives, and understand many different points of view."

"I don't believe I want to," Belldandy said after a moment to consider it. "The idea of a dreamlike state such as that…"

"It bothers you," Neith watched the girl pressed a palm to her forehead. "You recall something, don't you girl, something you greatly dislike."

Memories were trying to come to the surface, as if bubbling away under lock and key. The spell on the girl was powerful, but her bond with Celestine was undoubtedly stronger. The edged would crack and fray with time, until the memories burst through in a flood of realization.

"I don't know," Belldandy sighed. "My head hurts sometimes, I have no idea why. The medics don't seem worried, at least, they tell me not to be."

"Then it is nothing to be concerned over," Neith stated, sure that it was merely the residual power in Belldandy's hand. It must have been reacting to the young goddess. She decided then to let the matter drop. "I believe this is why you should undergo the training. You will find yourself anew. If you just try it once, you will see."

"I need time to think."

"Keep it with you, a gift," Neith nodded as she rested her palms on Belldandy's shoulders. "I will come to collect it in a fortnight. Please, consider using it just once before then."

* * *

 _"_ _It is an odd way to train a person,"_ Belldandy concluded later that evening as she sat on her bed. _"Celestine, would never leave something like this in my possession, would he?"_

Across the room, that mysterious bauble left in her custody continued to antagonize her. Without meaning to, her rage sent it plopping to the floor. Almost instantly her cold anger softened and she went to rescue the object from the corner behind her desk.

 _"_ _I mustn't fret over such little worries like that. I'm a powerful goddess. Rage doesn't suit me, anger does not control me. I am my own vessel, and my power is exclusionary of all personal pursuits and endeavors. I must make peace with the idea of imperfection, even within myself. I must do so, I shall."_

With a sigh, she put the orb back onto her desk and opened up the double doors. Her personal balcony was just outside of her room. A short distance off, her sister floated primly in the air gazing at the earth. Without thinking too deeply on the matter, Belldandy found herself floating beside her.

"You are angry," Belldandy could feel the ripples in the air. Disturbed and ill-at-ease.

"I am pissed," Urd said sharply as she turned to her sister. "You wouldn't believe the new gossip that's been floating around about me. Damn them anyway, full-fledged goddesses need their angels to carry the weight, but not me. I don't need my angel, I can do my job without her."

"I'm sorry Urd," Belldandy couldn't imagine a day without Holybell by her side, and frankly, she didn't want to.

"You don't have to be sorry."

"But I am."

"It's pity, that's different. I don't need that either, least of all from you."

"Urd…"

"I hate it when you do that," Urd groused as she played with the rings on her fingers. They said nothing for a long while, relying on the heavenly creatures to fill the void their voices left behind. Urd used to like those kind of moments when Belldandy was little, falling asleep early, and always in her lap.

She missed those days of blissful ignorance. They were so few and far between, and the older she got, the more bitter she grew to be. "Don't worry so much," Urd finally told her. "I never did it either, I was afraid of what I would see. For two weeks I let that stupid little orb float beside me, but I never once let myself truly gaze into it."

"I never knew," Belldandy lamented, wondering what pain lingered in her older sister's heart. "I wish you would have told me."

"There wasn't anything you could do. I think it's a private sort of training, and I guess a lot of goddesses are too afraid to see what's inside."

"I'm not afraid to do the training, it's just that I don't see the point. What could possibly be in that pocket universe that's worth experiencing. Why wouldn't I be able to face those events in my life now, as I am?"

"You know what I am, Belldandy, so I have a little experience with what I'm about to say," Urd took a breath to steady herself. "It doesn't matter what you think you are, all that matters is that you live up to the expectations of everyone else around you. That's what creation wants. That's all it wants."

"But that isn't what I want! Urd, all I want is to be back under Celestine's wing. To be by his side once more, I want him to return quickly, or be sent to his side. Doesn't anyone understand that?"

"I do," Urd said quietly. "But you'll obey anyway, because you're a first class, _unlimited_ licensed goddess. You're not in the position to argue or deny your betters. You're the golden child Belldandy. You always have been, and you'll live up to the expectation."

It was true in many ways. Belldandy liked to please others, she enjoyed it. Seeing people smile made her smile in return. It was the gift of happiness that mattered most, and Belldandy believed that as firmly as her old mentor. Joy should not be squandered. It should never be repressed, and instead shared with all who wanted to bask in it.

"Did you want to look, Urd?" Belldandy asked then, those inquisitive blue eyes of hers deep with emotion. The question was something even creation itself dared to ponder. "Do you regret not doing so while you had the chance?"

"I regret seeming weak."

"Oh, but you aren't. You're one of the strongest goddesses I know."

"How strong is a person that can't face themselves?" Urd asked as she shook her head. "I'm not strong Belldandy, I'm just me."


	2. Chapter 2

This fiction has been requested by ObeliskX.  
This fiction is influenced by the works and critique of Sombereyes, who will continue to be an ongoing support for this fiction.  
This _is_ a gender-swapping fan fiction that plays with a multi-universe.  
I do not own Ah! My Goddess.

 **Life from Which the Pendulum Swings**

 **Chapter 2:**

 **Ah! Making Peace with Imperfection**

It was not what she had expected to hear as she sat beside her sister. Late that evening, Belldandy found herself questioning her own resolve. It was not a feeling she approved of. It was sickening to think so poorly of herself.

Urd had always struggled with her true nature, and it bothered Belldandy greatly. Being the gentle spirit that she was, it was hard to understand the concept. She licked her lips as she thought on this, carefully meditating as she had been taught to do. Her eyes were closed, her breath was as even and as still as the very air around her. Even her capacity for movement had been frozen in that very moment in time.

It was her element in its most pure form, the embodiment of the entirety of her soul. As she focused, it became clear to her that she would never understand. She would never know rage as distinct as Urd's own, and with equal measure, she would never be able to stifle it.

 _"_ _It is because she holds demon blood in her vessel. She is only half a goddess by bloodline. That separation seems to make all of the difference. I am not meant to know her mind, nor her pain,"_ Belldandy thought to herself with a sigh. As her blue eyes opened to the world around her, the trance shattered. _"Immortals are all equal, gods and demons alike. That's what Celestine says, so why is it so hard to understand Urd?"_

The serenity she fought to attain broke and she bit her lip, looking over to the orb she'd brought with her. Belldandy felt mildly annoyed at best, but it was nothing compared to her sister. She couldn't sense fear within herself, and had concluded she had none. It was not fear that held her back from this training, it was loyalty to her teacher. It wouldn't due to disappoint him, and she wondered about his reasons for leaving so suddenly. Worrying would prove to be a pointless, exhausting endeavor.

With a breath, Belldandy centered her focus once more.

 _"_ _There is no peace for the minds addled by every little thing. Change what I am able, accept when I am unable, and realize the difference in that duality. I am the goddess Belldandy, first class, unlimited license authorized for commercial use. If I am to be a wish granter, as I say that I am, then I must make peace with the very laws I attempt to change. I must understand their meaning, and I must come to terms with them. Granting goddesses are not able to grant the intent of every single desire a mortal might have, so, we must give them what we can. To do this, we must be at peace with our own misgivings."_

Celestine would expect at least that much from her. All she had to do was peer into the glowing light. The orb would suck her into another universe for some length of time. It was predetermined by the seal applied, but Belldandy had guessed at the rules. She had two weeks to spend, in or out of the pocket universe. Two weeks to toil away either in her own mind, or in the mind of another.

The entire idea was baffling. The training itself seemed to be no more than foolishness, and she played into the trap.

Foolishly thinking or foolishly acting. What was best to do? Torture herself with questions she would never have answer for, or torture herself with the art of training itself. She rested her head on the object with her eyes closed. There was warmth on the other side, but also, a strange sort of coldness as well.

 _"_ _Inaction itself becomes its own rudimentary lesson over time,"_ Belldandy supposed as she palmed the orb, and rolled it around in her hands. _"Only a dwindling fortnight, what do I truly have to lose? Celestine might be on the other side, it might be a test of my faith. A trial of the courage within me. He might be waiting. Another life of mine, another universe. It all rests just on the other side, and so might he."_

Her eyes flickered open and bathed themselves in the blue light, a color not unlike that of her eyes and seals. It washed over her body, blue fading to black, her body fading to nothingness. It was the same feeling as slipping through a mirror. Everything around her was information, and she was little more than code yanked outward in one long mess of black symbols and sharp angular patters.

This was her real body, the code that deciphered everything else.

She could feel the code as it contorted, twisting around like a snake caught in a trap. It was a gate doing this to her. This would release her consciousness into something more fluid, like water that crashed upon the shore. With her code free from universal restrictions, her eyes slipped open, and the morning light of dawn hit her squarely in the face.

"Goodness," she sighed as she lifted a hand to her face to block the sun. She sound was not her own, and she found herself in disbelief. "This cannot be…"

Yet somehow it was. Belldandy was sure of it as she looked at the arm attached to her body. She needed only a moment after that to realize just what seals had been pulled off. Now she only had to guess what others had been replaced. She sat up quickly to a room that she didn't quite recognize. It was an unfamiliar place, but she could feel the grace of the heavens all the same.

The mirror told all tales.

 _"_ _Neith wasn't fibbing,"_ Belldandy berated herself, even though first class goddesses never lied in the first place. _"I am indeed a man, the spitting image of my father, still gifted with my mother's fairness."_

Her eyes slowly crawled along her form, slender but muscular. Long tresses, just like usual fell over what had to be broader shoulders. As she stood topless in front of the mirror, her hand fell to the chest that no longer carried perky breasts, soft and supple to the touch.

A flatness lingered there, pecks in perfect placement, toned abs to match. Even the curve of womanly hips had been replaced with ones of narrower make. Belldandy had no need to peek beyond the dark silk adorning her lower body to know what lay there. " _This is not the universe I came from, nor is this a simple dream…"_

It seemed like one, and none of the conclusions that came to mind offered her any solace. Ten dimensional beings could change their entire form on a mere whim, but never once had she chosen to augment her body. It felt strange to do so, as if it was inherently wrong somehow. Quaking fingers lifted to the blue seals.

 _"This is me,_ " Belldandy thought, the profound reality finally sinking in. _"If I were to take on my father's image, this man, this is who I would be, right down to the seals."_

Mind and body soon began to mesh. An understanding between the two systems finally began synchronizing, and Belldandy was able to commune properly with the angle within. A male angle, a male Holybell. It seemed as if everything was in working order, functioning well enough to connect to all systems required for day-to-day life.

 _"_ _Well then, I suppose its official, I am a man."_

Belldandy no sooner thought that, when light emitting from his back, giving way to white wings of the angelic spirit within. "Holybell, did you follow me?" Belldandy felt inclined to ask.

The angel shook his head, as if to say that he was the angel of this world, and reached out to touch hands with his new master. Fluttering his wings playfully, he came to the conclusion easily. "You are not my master, but, you feel like him."

"Well, that's because I'm not from here. I come from different universe entirely. Where did your master go?" Belldandy asked worriedly when a most troubling thought came to mind. "He isn't in my world, is he?"

The angel merely smiled, lifting his hand to Belldandy's chest. "Sealed there, in his soul, I think."

"Oh, is that so?"

The angel thought on this, his finger tapping on Belldandy's exposed chest. "I do not know if you can commune with him too. I know his soul is still there. I can feel him."

"It is unusual for a vessel to hold more than one entity at any given time," Belldandy noted with a deepening frown. "It's most certainly no easy task for an angel to provide a spiritual link to two masters. Will you be alright doing so?"

The angel nodded, crossing his arms in a thoughtful sort of way. Then, snapping two fingers together, he pointed at his new governing deity. "I see now, Yggdrasil sent you from a different time and space to come here. We're about to face another war, is that it?"

"No," Belldandy said pleasantly. "I'm glad to report that it's nothing so duplicitous. I'm a goddess in training, that's all."

"Training? How strange," a tiny growl of confusion slipped from him as he thought on that. "Training, you say? My master hasn't had a need for training in centuries. Last time we took lessons from a tutor, we decided we didn't like the program and quit."

"What did you train for?" Belldandy asked, eyes wide and glimmering with interest.

"The valkyries."

"You quit the heavenly defense force?"

The angel scoffed a bit, ruffling his feathers as he mineralized fully, sitting on the desk cross-legged. "I do not know from whence you came, but here, times are unsteady. War threatened to rip creation in half, and we're still trying to recoup the losses. The valkyries face skirmishes on the outskirts of creation itself, and that was simply too violent for my master…too sad. He chose to walk away and continue commercial work, as his angel, I'm committed to his feelings on the matter."

"I'm sorry it had to end for him in such a way. Since you are his angel, may I ask for your assistance?"

"I sense no ill intent, else I would have put an end to you quickly. I sense within you a familiarity," he closed his eyes, fluttering his wings again once more as he finally nodded his agreement. "I will help you, I believe my master would want that. Hmm, but, you are a goddess back in your world. It seems that Urd and Skuld are too."

"Yes, that is so. Is that some sort of problem?"

"It is strange," Holybell murmured shyly. He searched the archives of long held memories stored within the former goddess. A deep wealth of knowledge was for the taking. Within in instant, he had connected to a woman's memories, a woman's life. It was utterly absurd to the angel of this world. "Everything you have come to understand is fundamentally different. Here gender is based on necessity, not whim. Licenses and contracts are the same, Yggdrasil is something that I'm particularly acquainted with…but..."

"Yes, what is it?"

"What is this...system force...I see within your memory?"

"It helps to regulate the rules of creation. Simply put, it maintains both the holy and unholy systems." Belldandy felt the strange need to sit down, and promptly found a seat on the nearest chair. "You don't have something like it?"

"Isn't that our job?" Holybell shot back with confusion, before shaking his head and chuckling good naturedly. "It _is_ our job," he corrected stroking his cleanly shaven chin. "Deities exists to regulate the systems. Otherwise creation wouldn't even need us. It would cease to be."

Belldandy had never once considered a life without the system force. "Maybe you could be right about that."

"I know I'm right," the angel grinned. As he stretched his arms and yawned he realized this would be no easy task. It took quite a bit of energy to keep two duties perfectly stable. "I will help you, but I'm limited in what services I can provide. Be mindful of my master's status. He is a god of the highest order. Learn to adapt, act with resolution, and you should be fine."

Retreating into his master's back to rest, he left Belldandy alone to absorb the reality that had come to pass. The room was quiet, the heavens were serene, and deep within Belldandy's heart a warm feeling lingered. Peace, while soothing to the spirit, did nothing for the mind.

Belldandy the goddess, had become Belldandy the god.

He sighed a length, casting aside the idea of an average day. It would be anything but that, and he dressed himself quickly in the garbs he found in the closet. Pure white, rich golds, and vibrant blues…these were the colors that Belldandy had always favored. It seemed to be a personal taste that hadn't changed. Dresses were replaced by vests and white leggings.

The heaven's hadn't changed much either. Old, well-worn paths were the same as could be. It seemed as if the long hallways of her home, and the quiet paved walkways, were exactly as he remembered them. There was only one stark contrast, and that was the dark skinned male tromping around with increased speed.

"Damn it, Belldandy, you're going to be late!"

The voice was lower, just like Belldandy's own had become. His clothes were different too, but there was no mistaking that it was Urd. The demonic looking attire was off putting, deep reds replacing blue, and gold combating silver. Even more disturbing was that Urd was actually wearing short pants.

Then it dawned on Belldandy, that person wasn't a sister barreling towards him…not anymore. Urd was his brother, a male as well. The recollection of what Holybell had told him rang true.

 _"_ _Remember what I told you, everything you have come to understand is fundamentally different in this universe. Act and adapt quickly, look sharp!"_

Belldandy could only sigh at that mental reminder. It popped into her head, as if Holybell himself had placed it there.

"Don't just look at me like I'm a damn demon," Urd said while waving a hand in front of his sibling's face. "Get it together, you have a new assignment today, and if you screw this up, then you-know-who is going to be pissed."

"Urd...your seals…"

"They're red again, I know. Blame Peorth for setting Yggdrasil into debug mode. I'm stuck like this until she resets the computer. We had vines growing out of the walls this time."

"What caused that I wonder?" Belldandy murmured keeping pace with his agitated half-god, half-demon sibling.

"Who else?" Urd complained, "Gorgeous Rose, Peorth's angel."

Together they walked down the long path, going to Almighty's chambers. At first, it didn't dawn on the young god just what having a demon walking beside her meant. Then, like a ton of bricks it hit him squarely in the face. _"Oh no, but that means…oh no. No, no, no,"_ Belldandy nearly choked on his own tongue as the implication weaved its way into his mind. _"There's no system force here! That means there's no doublet system either. Everything must be handled manually. That includes treaties with the demon realm! No wonder they're always at war, demons can pass right through heaven's gates on a whim."_

He had to shake himself out of his stupor, and fast. His mind lunged for the easiest answer to get first. "What's my new assignment, do you know?"

"Oh hell, knowing that old hag, I'd bet money it's another one of those division relief assignments. Lind's back from wherever he was, so I can only guess that he needs more equipment."

"Either that, or something else like it perhaps," Belldandy tried to agree. Feeling as though he was groping blindly for things to say, he fought back the urge to rebuke that commercial licenses never visited the battlefront. At least not back home. "Maybe I've been given a new client."

Urd shrugged, splitting off the designated path when they reached the divide between the long staircase. The dark skinned male headed into the computer rooms. "Whatever it is, just try to get back as quick as you can. We can't afford to be short a time god right now. You're the only one that can keep Yggdrasil from trying to sprout a new seed."

That, at least was a familiar topic, and Belldandy bowed politely in farewell. "I'll do my utmost."

It was a long walk to see the Almighty, several spiraling staircases lead to an upward path. Floating around was prohibited here unless a true emergency was in the midst. Upwards he climbed, reaching the top and traversing a short hallways into the Almighty's chambers.

"Almighty One," Belldandy addressed as he got down on one knee and lowered his head. "I am here at your behest, your will be mine."

"You may stand."

It was a woman's voice, airy and beautiful. It was a tone unbefitting the power of one so strong. As Belldandy lifted his gaze and slowly stood, he realized he could not see the figure of the goddess holding such a power in her grasp. Belldandy waited for further instruction, which came to him only moments later.

"Belldandy, it is not often I personally summon you to take on a rather prolonged mission. I need a god with credentials, multiple expertise, and a willingness to go above the simple demands of this mission. I need a god certified as a commercial license, but also I need that god to be an intimidating foe."

"You need a valkyrie, Almighty One?" Belldandy asked, but the hidden deity only giggled in reply to her.

"If I wanted a bruit, I'd ask for a bruit," Almighty said after controlling her fit of laughter. "The demons have caught sight of a rather unfortunate young woman. A tomboy of sorts you could say. Why, yes as I think of it, she has had a hard time of finding her place. The demons plan to form a contract with her, and I mean to avoid that if I can."

Thinking it an odd request, Belldandy nibbled nervously in the inside of his cheek. "If she is unfortunate, perhaps a wish is all that she needs."

"No mere wish can solve her troubles. There are just too many. I've chosen you for this task. I need someone willing to heal old wounds. I never say this lightly, but that little human has endured far too much in one lifetime. She is a demon's perfect candidate simply because she no longer values herself. She'd easily sell as much as her very own soul. Too many humans have done this already, I'm sending granting gods and goddesses all over creation…but this girl, she is different. She needs more than a moment's compassion."

"I understand," Belldandy said quietly, feeling an unusual pain in his chest. "I will willingly partake this mission upon my own white wings. I shall guide this soul to safer shores."

"I thought you would agree," Almighty said happily. "Lind…"

The god being called jumped down from the high ceiling he had been perching on. The valkyrie nodded to Belldandy, his voice quiet and quite serious. "The demon's target is Japanese. She goes by the name Keiichi Morisato, and you'll find the experience difficult. She is an average human at a glance. I'm currently stationed on the earth's surface, so you should never have to engage a demon directly. However, with those precautions in mind, I have far too many granting gods and goddesses to protect."

"You cannot ensure this girl's safety," Belldandy concluded with a nod. "I will protect her, if I must."

"It should not come to that," Lind said with a shake of his head. "They want to contract the girl, not kill her. It's merely that a contract from this woman can easily destroy all of creation. Or, on the other hand, it could do wonders for it. We'd like it to be the latter, not the former."

Belldandy nodded and bowed deeply to both of the deities in the room. "I shall get started right away, you may expect greatness from me. I will not fail in this task."

After being permitted release, Belldandy turned on his heel and headed for the nearest mirror. It was only after he saw his image once more that he paused.

Feeling the abrupt distress, Holybell emerged once more ready for a fight. "What is it, what did you see?!"

"It is nothing, only me," Belldandy reached his hand out to touch the mirror, and it rippled like that of water. "I am not used to seeing myself as a man, that's all."

"If I were you, I'd get used to it before tonight," Holybell said then with a small little smirk, though his next words were gravely true. "Male or female, as a heavenly deity you still need to purify."

"I honestly didn't think about that," Belldandy blushed deeply as he pushed herself through the portal. "Besides that, I'm not so sure it would be appropriate."

"It isn't as if you haven't seen a naked man before," The angel added after a moment. "From the sights of it, you even seemed to enjoy the company of a man in your bed at night."

"Holybell! That isn't something you should say freely," Belldandy protested utterly and completely mortified. "Just how have you come to know that?"

"We're connected, remember?" Holybell said, concern evident on his face. "It shouldn't trouble you. I know it would not trouble my master, and it does not trouble me."

"Please don't do that," Belldandy begged softly. Now redder than before he closed his eyes and tried to slow his rapidly beating soul. "My memories are as a woman, so maybe, um maybe, you should not gaze at them so willfully. There are some things a man, even as an angel, should not see."

The angel unthinking wrapped his arms around the humanoid vessel he claimed as a master. A woman was truly inside of this body, and that woman had no idea of the world that she was stepping into. As an angel, he could only feel sorry for his new master's distress, and he aimed to soothe it in any way that he could.

"I am no stranger, please do not think so rashly of me. While you hold my true master captive, I must be in service to you. For the two of us to be compatible, you must share your memories and accept me as your angel."

"I do not think this is very wise, Holybell," Belldandy said quietly with careful authority. "Angel or not, this is not proper."

"I will not use them to violate you, I promise. In order to help you, I need them," Holybell said once more, his wings now wrapping around her as well. "Try to understand, I mean only to aid you, never to harm you. Please trust me...please...please."


	3. Chapter 3

This fiction has been requested by ObeliskX.  
This fiction is influenced by the works and critique of Sombereyes, who will continue to be an ongoing support for this fiction.  
This _is_ a gender-swapping fan fiction that plays with a multi-universe.  
I do not own Ah! My Goddess.

 **Life from Which the Pendulum Swings**

 **Chapter 3:**

 **Ah! The Misfortunate Girl**

It was nighttime when Belldandy came tumbling out of the nearest portal disoriented and confused. The alleyway was a dark haven for the more unsavory types of creatures. Humans and devils crawled the city. Belldandy noticed the feeling instantly. Of the several entities bustling around, none of them were vessels of heavenly light.

Strangely enough, there was not a cloud in the sky. The stars glinted far away, tiny little dots of light so small and insignificant that they twinkled in hopes that anyone might bestow them with a moment's gaze. The god looked around, his hair wafting in the winds caused by the cars zipping right on by. It was a dangerous place to be, this realm of the mortals.

It was not meant for immortal-kind, not for the gods who demanded grace, nor the demons who demanded the loyalty of all who called them to service.

Taking off to the sky, Belldandy flew overhead far above the reaches of sight. "This place is nothing but a swamp of impurity. We need to find a place to bathe," Belldandy said, searching for a warm spring to borrow for a short time.

"We need to locate the mortal in question soon after," Holybell agreed as he shuttered at the sights, sounds, and smells around him. This was a sinner's paradise, and he could tell from the emotions of the city. They had entered smack dab in the middle of the red light district. "I pray that we do not find the poor girl here."

"Most women wouldn't dream of it," Belldandy retorted quietly.

The angel avoided saying what his senses told him. Unfortunately, they were a stark contrast to what his mild manner inhabitant seemed to think. He tried to ignore the wave of pure lust that had to have been jetting outward from an unduly horny devil looking to get lucky. "What if that woman was looking for something of an... erotic nature... what then?"

"Clearly that woman would be as debase as one would expect," Belldandy concluded with displeasure, shuttering at the mere thought.

Holybell coughed to clear his throat. It was not what he thought he might hear. "Are you used to devils?"

"I am not unused to them," Belldandy said pleasantly, thankful for the abrupt change in topic. "The demons I know are fairly kind as well, considering that they are demons in the first place."

"You're kidding," Holybell snorted, "truly, a kind demon? Are you sure it isn't a farce?"

Belldandy realized the error of his ways sooner rather than later. "It is impossible for me to lie. I know some very rude, foul-mouthed demons. They enjoy havoc like you wouldn't believe. It's just that they're a nuisance, rather than harbingers of destruction. I've had to correct them, but I've never had to kill them."

The angel merely smirked, he would never understand. "Interesting comparison, I'm glad at least that demons are less of a threat in your world."

"That may be so, but weakness of the soul is not," Belldandy said then a moment later.

He had to purify, like it or not, and then he needed to rest his mind for the upcoming mission. He found a small hot spring where there were no humans nearby. The spirits were lesser enough creatures to leave him alone, and quickly fled the area before they were spotted.

Even without onlookers, it was strange to purify as a man. Belldandy tossed himself into the hot spring without even batting an eye at the fact that his clothes were strewn around the edges of the bubbling pool. Any other time he would have folded them neatly, but he wanted this bath over and done with.

He swallowed hard at first. His eyes lowering to the hanging appendage between his legs. It much more responsive to touch than Belldandy would have originally guessed. He sighed as he closed his eyes and sunk underneath the water. It was strangely pleasurable the way the water kissed at his skin.

Being _with_ a man, was different than actually being a man.

Belldandy knew well of the absolutely animalistic desires gods carried within them at times. Gods were powerful, but they were just as fickle as their mortal and demonic counterparts when it came to love. Some of them were insatiable, and sitting in the hot water naked did nothing to calm longstanding womanly curiosities. Belldandy half wondered what it might feel like to wrap his hand around that bobbing appendage, but disregarded that thought quickly.

It would be rude, and beyond inappropriate. It was also a well understood rumor that if gods were nearsighted in their love for a goddess, a spirit was even worse. Belldandy had only ever met one male spirit, a plum tree spirit at that, and frankly in that particular case the rumor held true.

"You carry a troubled air about you," Holybell said smoothly. "Does my master's vessel displease you?"

"Yes, but not in the way you might assume."

"In what way then?" Holybell asked, but did not receive an answer.

 _"_ _What does it feel like for a man to be with a woman?"_ Belldandy pondered while twiddling playful fingers at the edges of the water. _"Is it even possible for a god to reach the same spiritual affinity as a goddess? Do they reach the same all inspiring call?"_

"Belldandy?"

The god lifted his head. "Truly, it is nothing to worry about, Holybell."

"You know, my master holds an interest in men too," Holybell offered conversationally. "It isn't that women disinterest him. It's just that his bedfellows tend to be gods more often than not. It's a matter of circumstance, neither here nor there."

Belldandy nodded, and hummed a little bit in agreement. Finally he opened his eyes to regard the angel across from him. "I feel the same way about women, it is not that they disinterest me. It is that I am preferential to gods. If the right goddess ever did make her interests known, well…"

"The women you might bed would have to be strong," Holybell nodded. "Not unlike a man in their determination or raw honesty. You value that, and take comfort in it. My master, he different. He often beds enlisted deities. He is also unwilling to yet take a spouse."

Belldandy got the grim implication as it flowed from Holybell's being. "Too many missions."

"Exactly," The angel said with a roll of his eyes.

"Could it be that your master merely accepts them to buy himself some time?"

"It's isn't a matter of could or couldn't be. It's pure fact. My master has avoided any and all arrangements to make a betrothal. Goddesses throw themselves at his feet, but he's never accepted any of them."

"I understand the feeling," Belldandy sighed lamely. "It isn't easy being the center of attention."

The angel nodded. "I suspect that's why has bedded Lind as often as he has. Lind and his angels are also unable to commit to anything beyond casual encounters. There is too much war, too many conflicts. My master wants desperately to find a spouse and settle down. It's merely that now is not the time."

"I see," feeling as though this angel could see the conflict rolling around in his mind, Belldandy lifted his hand from the spring, watching the water trickle from it. "In times like these, it would be lonely, wouldn't it?"

"The memories you carry are also lonely," Holybell said quietly. "You've suffered too. Greatly, or so I believe."

"It has been a long time since I've spent any time with friends. Other than my sisters... back home, I mean... other than them, I just haven't felt the urge to socialize."

The angel got that impression, and scooted forward just a little. "Belldandy, why did you come here?"

"I had to. I would be doing a disservice to those I care about if I didn't come here," Belldandy said standing from the water and letting the cool air caress his body dry. "One might call this a pilgrimage, and it would not be far from the truth."

The angel crept closer, his fingers reaching out to caress the soft face of the god beside him. When he searched those old memories, it was a woman's face he saw, perfect and beautiful. It was hard to comprehend that such a woman had inhabited his master.

"My Holybell does that too," Belldandy said, softly kissing the fingertip that had been resting on the bridge of his nose. "She's inquisitive and affectionate, serene and yet playful, young, but very wise too."

"Is it hard to bond with me?" Holybell asked then, a worried little frown on his lips.

The god shook his head, giving Holybell a gentle pat on the cheek as he passed by. "You are very much like my Holybell. It's just that you are also very different. I suspect many things separate us," Belldandy said as he reached over to his clothes, putting them back on without lingering over any one garment.

Holybell agreed. "It is many things."

"Does it trouble you greatly?"

"No, but, it offers no comfort either."

"I will not be staying long. Two weeks in my world, that could be anything over here. Hours, weeks, months…"

"Years," Holybell said stiffly. "It could be years, and we are not as connected as we should be, you and I."

"It could be years," Belldandy agreed quietly. "Most likely, it won't be."

"Yet, it could be," the angel pressed. "You do not know, and neither do I."

That sternness was so unlike the Holybell she knew. A god's resolve. This Holybell was more to the point, and blunt in his words. Belldandy found it interesting, and smiled at angel that was hovering worriedly nearby. "However long it is, we will make do."

"My master is concerned for you," Holybell said then as he began to bless a little lonely flower that had been somehow trampled. "He and I can still commune, I've told him about you. He is worried, because you cannot share that bond with me."

"It is lonely, but it is not so lonely that I cannot manage," Belldandy said offering a smile. "Now then, try not to worry so much. We have work to do, and it would be best if we keep focused."

Work was a good distraction, and Holybell dove for it. "Lind has uploaded the program into the searchable archives, should I read them aloud?"

Belldandy thought on this and then shook his head. Demons could be lurking anywhere. "No, instead transfer the file into the databank reserved for commercial and administrative personnel only. From there, lock the file down with our personal access number, and send the number to Lind, Urd, and any other relevant parties that the mission file may include."

The angel saw to his duties quickly, his eyes closed in concentration as he did so. After a moment, he returned to his master's side holding a glyph he'd produced from thin air, pushing the ball of data into his master's back. "Mission status, ongoing. Possible contract and signatures uploaded, one signature remaining."

"We will have to deal with that when we come to it," Belldandy said gathering all of the relevant information from the document. "In the meantime, let's see if we can locate the client and monitor the situation. Hopefully the poor woman hasn't gotten herself into anything too drastic."

Belldandy had hoped he would locate the woman easily, but he'd never had to search for a mortal directly before. The pouring rain didn't help either, even though it outright avoided the god as it pattered onto the ground. He searched for a good several hours with no luck in sight, not until he finally passed by a tiny gas station just on the edges of Nekomi.

A lone woman sat there, huddled in what looked to be an oversized leather jacket. She looked frazzled, all hope drained from her eyes, and Belldandy knew she had to have been the one. There was no denying the dark emotions, sad and lonely.

At first Belldandy wasn't sure what to do as he leaned against the brick wall that concealed him from sight. The overhanging roof kept him and the wall at his back dry. He relaxed his unsteady breath. He needed a way to talk to her, and fortune lit the way. The buzzing drink machine flickered as it called to Belldandy's attention, and on the ground nearby, currency sat unused.

It didn't take a second guess.

Plopping the currency into the machine, out came two canned drinks that were heat activated. One was hot chocolate, the other was some sort of canned tea.

"You look cold," Belldandy said quietly as he knelt down beside the woman, holding the hot chocolate out to her. Emotionless brown eyes lifted to him, and then close again. This was going to take some effort. "You should have this, and maybe you'll feel a little better."

Keiichi looked up once again, a bitter smile tracing her lips. "I don't know who put you up to this, but I'd really appreciate if you didn't tease me right now."

A tiny spark of hope died right there between them, and Belldandy could feel the sadness it brought. He set the can down beside the woman, and then seated himself on the other side of her. "You're Keiichi Morisato, aren't you?"

The young woman flinched and then nodded.

"I'm Belldandy, god first class, unlimited license. I'm here to help you, Keiichi."

"Yeah right," it was a soft laugh the permeated the air, not a hint of lightheartedness to it. "Look, whoever put you up to this is just trying to get to me. I'm not looking for anything. I just want the rain to stop so that I can go home."

Belldandy smiled then, resting his weight on the palms of his hands. "I like the rain, although I can see why it might be hard to drive right now."

"I hate the rain."

"I don't think that's true."

"Yeah, well it is," Keiichi said petulantly. Brown eyes dragged over Belldandy's form. "I hate the rain because it's sad and cold, not to mention inconvenient."

Belldandy thought the banter almost cute and gave a bright smile. "It also gives life new meaning and refreshes the driest of places. That's why I love the rain."

The short woman retreated by scooting away a little. "You can drop the nice guy act. I already told you, I don't have anything to offer you."

Blue eyes were wide with the sting of those words. They weren't sharp, but rather dull and almost empty. Keiichi didn't trust him, and in small part, seemed afraid of him. Belldandy wasn't sure how to soothe the distrust, and bit his lip. "Who says it has to be an act? Maybe I'm just a nice person, there nice people out there. You seem like a nice person to me."

"Oh come on, it's near midnight. No random guy would ever be like you are. Not unless... they wanted something," Keiichi said, another scoot back adding to their distance. "They don't talk to me out of the blue like this."

Belldandy could feel himself loosing the trust of this woman, and let his smile drop into a frown of pained concern. "I'm talking to you now, right?"

"That's what makes this so weird."

 _"Belldandy, you're in a man's body now! More aptly, you're in my master's body now. You must be_ _resolute,"_ Holybell said, kicking some sense into his demure inhabitant. It was time the Belldandy take charge, and prove his abilities worthy of notice. He had to dispel that fear, but acting equally ask skittish would never get them anywhere.

Belldandy took a breath and prepared himself.

"Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, I doubt it'll get any less 'weird' for you any time soon," Belldandy said as he turned to the girl, brushing the messy black bangs away from her brown eyes. "I've already said this once, but I'm Belldandy. God first class, unlimited license. I know you don't believe me, but I'm here to help you, Keiichi. It seems to me as if you've lost that little spark in your heart. I'm going to help you get it back."

"God this, license that…you really have your lines down, don't you?"

"I'll prove it to you," Belldandy said. "You wanted to go home, so I'll take you there."

"Unless you have a lot of money for a cab, I don't see how that's even possible," Keiichi sighed, standing up and brushing herself off. Her clothes were soaked, water rolling down her jeans and jacket. Even her shoes squelched with every step she took. With her jacket zipped up tightly, the only thing that Belldandy could see were those pain filled eyes, and he wanted to do everything in his power to remedy that.

Belldandy tried to think of what to say. _"What would Celestine do?"_

Celestine would smile brilliantly in that same way he always did, and let his natural charisma take over. He was a gentle god, and Belldandy could only recall his soft spoken voice and kind words of praise. He wasn't a pushover though, he stood firm. If he made a statement, he followed through with that statement. Equal parts compassion and stern upheaval is what made a first class god, a first class god.

When she went against his word, he firmly corrected her. Belldandy knew this mortal would also have to be corrected similarly. Kindly, but without hesitation.

Belldandy smile too, a hand reaching out in offering. "You're going to catch a cold, Keiichi. Come with me, I promise, I won't hurt you."

Belldandy's hand was warm against Keiichi's cold and clammy one, a dry thumb running over damp knuckles. There were callouses on the tips of those fingers, small but clearly defined from hard work. Keiichi kept her nails short, but manageable. In that single touch, Belldandy had already gleaned a wealth of information on this woman.

Down in her luck or not, Keiichi was a hard worker.

Belldandy didn't hesitate. "I'm going to have to carry you through the mirror in order to get you home safely. It's far too dark to let you wander the streets at night."

"Excuse me?!" Keiichi ripped her hand out of Belldandy's own, flabbergasted and even more confused. "You're going to marry me where?"

"The mirror," Belldandy said seriously, his voice calm and unwavering. "I use it to travel to where I want to go. I'm going to pick you up, and carry you with me."

"Wait a minute, you can't expect me to really believe that do you?"

With a sigh, Belldandy took the lead, picking the woman up. "Forgive me, but mortals are not immune to harsh weather conditions," going over to the bike that had been parked in the pouring rain, she pushed her way through the mirror with ease.

Keiichi screaming all the way back to her lonely little apartment. They landed with a plop on the bathroom floor, the rug the only thing to soften the blow.

"Yo-ou-you-you just…we…mirror…HOWDOYOUDOTHAT!?" Keiichi asked, finally finding her voice as she pushed herself violently away, her back hitting the cabinet doors as pressed up against them. Water dripped from her unkempt bangs, tapping her on the nose. She shook her head, flinging little droplets everywhere. This was too much, it was just too much to take in.

Belldandy clutched the shivering woman harder, trying to ease away the shock of it all. Keiichi was petrified, no mortal could comprehend heavens powers. Belldandy knew it would take some time to sink in, but he had greater worries at the moment. "I'll explain, I promise that I will, Keiichi. First I need to you get warmed up and dried off, okay?"

It wasn't okay, and she blacked out...

 _"_ _Oh my god, what a hangover,"_ Keiichi thought to herself as her head continued to throb. A white ceiling overhead and the sounds of yelling down the street reached her ears. She was home, safe and warm in her own bed. _"I don't even remember drinking…"_

In fact, she didn't remember much of anything last night, at least nothing that made sense. _"Get a grip, Keiichi. No guy would ever spend time talking to you, and there's no way for a person to just suddenly pass through a mirror like that."_

 _"_ _It had to have been booze_ ," Keiichi concluded as she rubbed her eyes. _"It was probably tequila, I can't stomach that crap."_

It wouldn't have been the first time Keiichi got completely blitzed and regretted it the next day. Life at university was full of surprises, and even when she managed to escape the insanity of dorm life, it seemed to have followed her. She'd even left the dorm when things got out of hand, choosing to be way off of campus just so that she could get some peace.

It seemed like that plan, along with many others had backfired. The apartment was not in the best condition, a crack in some of the paint leaving much to be desired. It was home though, at least for the next four years. It served her well, as long as she stayed away from the hard liquor and kept her nose in the books.

Slowly she sat up and stretched, blue eyes meeting hers.

"Good, you're finally awake," Belldandy sighed with clear relief. "I was worried you might have gotten ill."

Keiichi did feel ill, very, very ill in fact. She couldn't believe it, she didn't want to. "What did I drink last night?!"


	4. Chapter 4

This fiction has been requested by ObeliskX.  
This fiction is influenced by the works and critique of Sombereyes, who will continue to be an ongoing support for this fiction.  
This _is_ a gender-swapping fan fiction that plays with a multi-universe.  
I do not own Ah! My Goddess.

 **Life from Which the Pendulum Swings**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Ah! Developing Compassion**

It only took a few hours for Holybell to conclude that humans in general were beyond his ken. They confused him, and, proved to be bothersome. All mortals, man or beast, seemed to be much the same. He hadn't fooled with them in the past, seeing as his master was of upstanding high pedigree. It was of little consequence to him what a human did down on earth. There were far too many to concern himself over.

But, seeing Keiichi had sparked intrigue within the angel.

"Don't you find mortals rather odd?" He asked as he cast a barrier around the kitchen to keep noise minimized. "They have nothing to recommend of themselves, and their homes are filled with squalor. Look at the mess, it's like a sty."

Belldandy laughed, blue eyes twinkling as he managed the dishes that had been left abandoned in the sink. "There is more to mortals than meets the eye. Back home, I used to watch them sometimes. They're remarkably resilient. Even though most might not notice, they dream about things we immortals can't even comprehend."

"Even if they're beyond consideration?"

Belldandy thought about that before shrugging. "Would you harm a caterpillar merely because it's a lesser creature?"

"You think me daft? I wouldn't harm a caterpillar, but that's different. A human's vessel contains darkness. That makes a human more than a lesser creature. It implies them to be a threat," Holybell said, glancing towards Keiichi. "The laws in your world, they're very strange, almost duplicitous."

Belldandy just smiled as he put the last dish away. "You would not be the first to think so. I've concluded the chores in the kitchen for now, so why don't we wait until our new acquaintance wakes up. I'm sure she'll have many questions for us."

"You're far too happy about this," Holybell replied, slipping back into his hiding spot.

The dawns light was bright and irksome as it cascaded through the windows, waking Keiichi from a nearly dead-sleep.

It didn't make any sense to the mortal woman. Not when she'd first woken up to see that perfectly smiling face aimed at her so kindly. Not an hour later, when she sat hunched over the breakfast table eyeing a full spread of savory delights.

A guy who knew how to cook, didn't mind cleaning, and went so far as to act like a perfect gentleman was one in a million. Perhaps even one in a trillion. He was too perfect in every way, no detectable flaw in his appearance or action.

At first, Keiichi had suspected that the joke was still going on, but, soaring through the mirror was no optical illusion.

Keiichi looked up nervously from a warm bowl of miso soup, Her fingers shaking nervously. "So, let me get this straight, you're a god, and not stripper…"

Belldandy adjusted the garment that concealed his chest from view. The neckline dipped into a deep yet thin V-shape. "That would be correct. Would you like me elaborate, Keiichi? I would be happy to do so, as long as you promise me that you won't faint."

That was another thing that bothered her. Keiichi had woken up in a set of her pajamas, but she hadn't recalled putting them on. She didn't remember much of anything last night, but her appetite suddenly died at the thought. Setting down her spoon, she hid her hands under the table to grip her pajama pants. "I don't think I'll faint again, I'm just confused. I guess."

Belldandy nipped on his tongue, he wasn't sure what qualified a mortal to receive heaven's grace. There were any number of factors. Back home the system force quantified everything into measured variables that were easy to follow. Here, there was nothing like that, and he was at a loss.

Belldandy began simply, at the root of all possible reason. "There are forces of nature that mortals would never be told about under normal circumstances. You're different, Keiichi. You're an anomaly, a rare mortal, whom the heavens recognize. It's a gift."

"What if I don't want to be recognized?" Keiichi asked flatly as her hands rested on the edges of the table once more.

"Some part of you truly does," Belldandy replied, letting a hand fall over Keiichi's own.

"I really don't want to be," brown eyes slipped away from that all too gentle gaze, her hand following soon after. The warmth from the man in front of her fleeting.

Belldandy merely offered one of his award winning smiles, and cocked his head ever so slightly to the side. "We would not have received your name of it were not for your desire to be noticed."

Keiichi blushed, "I-I like to stick to myself. It, um, it's better that way."

"You lack conviction, but that's alright," Belldandy said with a soft laugh. "We've got time."

Keiichi lifted the spoon back to her lips. "Soup's good," she complimented quietly. "So, if you're really a god, why are you here then?"

"That's not so easy to answer," Belldandy sighed, glancing around the lonely little apartment. He felt a strange emptiness in the air, he was unused to it, and wondered why it called to him. Finding no answer, his words drifted into the air in lingering sort of way. "My job normally is to grant a wish to souls such as yourself. It's just that usually those assignments end quickly. This is more long term because heaven isn't the only place that you've earned the attention of."

This was getting complicated, and Keiichi raised her gaze once more. "Like who, exactly? I mean... I just... I've got a few friends, but I'm not really all that popular."

Belldandy hesitated. "Well…"

"See, I knew it," Keiichi murmured with a sad grin that ran away from her, "you're lying."

He was sure that speaking so forwardly of the devils would only spook Keiichi. Lying wasn't an option either, it went against his upstanding principle oaths. "Other immortals of different factions, they're interested in meeting you too. Immortals are just as diverse as mortals, some are good, are some not so good."

"You realize that's impossible, right?"

"It's entirely possible, it's your reality."

"It can't be."

"Keiichi, please try to understand, it is possible. There are many things that I wish I could explain to you. It's just that I'm powerless to do so, and, you're not very willing to trust me. If I say too much, you might think of me as a person who enjoys trickery. I promise that I don't, but what weight can that truly hold without faith?"

It was a good question, but, it was hard to answer. Keiichi brushed it away. "It's hard to be faithful."

"I won't bring any harm to you. On the contrary, my job is to protect your soul, and to gift it light anew. I know that probably sounds convoluted and conceited to say things like that, but it is my honest duty. I will not fail in that task... I..."

The emptiness in the air...  
The strange hum of the outside world against the window...  
The gaze of brown eyes, and those messy bangs that hid her emotions too well...  
Belldandy felt a strange sort of protective instinct rise within his heart...

He didn't know if Holybell felt the same way, or if the god locked away from his own body felt the same urge. All that he knew was that this mortal touched him in a way he'd least expected. "I want to help you."

Failure or not, Keiichi hadn't taken the news with flying colors. Instead, she was far too willing to retreat away from even the most subtle of glances. A warm hand seemed shockingly cold, and happiness seemed a rarity with such a dreary look on the young woman's face.

But Keiichi was cute in that tomboyish little way.

The way that those brown eyes with long lashes fluttered shyly away from anyone who took notice. Her grin, while rare, beamed when given the chance. She was a hobbyist, consumed with motorsports, and elated with the chance to compete in such companions. She was for all intents an purposes, an average university student, with average grades and an average life.

 _"_ _So then what, if anything, makes this woman so extra ordinary?"_ Belldandy wondered to himself as he sat perched atop the school's roof after the young woman had all but fled for class. _"A demon wouldn't take an interest in a girl like her."_

 _"_ _They would if she was vain,"_ Holybell called back from Belldandy's inward mind. _"Keiichi's soul is particularly unhappy. I wish I could pinpoint why that was."_

 _"_ _Is it truly a question?"_ Belldandy sighed with a little shake of his head. _"She's lonely, that's all."_

 _"_ _I have my doubts. Neither my master or I have once seen so dark a soul from loneliness alone…"_

 _"_ _It is a dark thing, loneliness..."_

 _"_ _She isn't alone though, and yet her soul still remains so much like a void that I'd fear to get sucked in."_

 _"_ _Holybell, I have a question. As a reflection of a soul, are you even capable of knowing what darkness truly is? I'm brought to wonder if you can comprehend true darkness, since you are an angel and not a devil."_

 _"_ _Hmm, I have seen enough, but, I perhaps lack experience."_

 _"_ _I thought so, but, it matters not. We're here now, and Keiichi is under our protection."_

That might have been true, but even as Belldandy said it, he felt a niggling discomfort digging at him. Keiichi still didn't trust him, not really. From afar, Belldandy noticed that there was a mousey young man that Keiichi seemed to enjoy being around.

"Hey Keiichi," the young bi-speckled man said while leaning over the long table. "Don't you think it would be better to upgrade the engine while we're at it? I mean, it just doesn't seem to have enough pick-up-and-go."

"I don't know, Sora," Keiichi said with her eyes glued to her current project. "I suppose it would depend on what kind of stress the rig can take."

"It's also a matter of funding."

Keiichi polished a particularly dirty part that was in her hands, cleaning away the old grease. "You're the one who runs the numbers. If you say the rig can take it, I'll back you one hundred percent."

Mulling this over, Sora nodded. "It could, if we had the right equipment. Think Tamiya would go for it?"

"Tamiya's probably the reason we're broke," Keiichi thought about that before a smile crept across her face for just a short time. "Otaki might be able to get some more allowance from the university board, but I wonder if he would go for it."

"All we can do is ask," Sora sighed. "Worst he can do is say no."

"Or get us all on academic probation," Keiichi retorted while thinking of the worst. "We've gotten into trouble so many times this year, and the first semester isn't even over."

"That may be," Sora agreed, "but you can't say it's dull here at the auto club."

The two of them laughed and poured over long strips of blue paper with white ink scribbled all over it. They were close, but clearly not too close as they danced around each other. Belldandy held a box in hand with nutritious and prepared foods ready to eat, but as he lowered himself from the building, he wondered if it was strange to approach the two club members.

With a breath to steady himself, he marched over to the worktable that sat outside.

"Good afternoon, Keiichi. I hope you don't mind, but I've brought some lunch for you and the club members."

The dark haired woman nearly jumped out of her skin. "Belldandy?!"

"Please, don't look so shocked," the god begged with a small bow. "I told you I'd see to brightening up your day. It was a promise I wanted to keep."

The short mechanic with chestnut brown hair and a freckled face cleared his throat. "Uh, am I missing something here."

"Nothing really," Keiichi sighed with a shake of her head as she turned back to Belldandy. "You really don't have to do this."

"Nonsense, it was my pleasure," Belldandy said as he addressed Keiichi's friends. "I'm sure you're hungry too, so you should partake."

"Well, if you're sure you don't mind, I'd be happy to. I'm Sora, and you are?" The mechanic asked rubbing his hand on a cleansing cloth to rid it of the muck, and then extending it to Belldandy.

"Belldandy, a new acquaintance of Keiichi's." Belldandy offered with a grin as Sora's gut rumbled something awful. "I hope that we can become good friends."

"With your cooking, there's no doubt. The leaders of the auto club aren't in right now, but I'm sure they would be chuffed if you chose to join as well."

Belldandy gave a small nod as he unpacked the food and spread it across several cloth napkins. "I think I'd like that."

Rome wasn't built in a day, and creation wasn't stabilized in merely seven, so it had been proven that only time and effort provided positive results. He had to hope that with such small move, he could warm the soul of the mortal woman. From out of the corner of his eye, he could have sworn he saw a blush creep across her face.

Some part of him couldn't wait for the moment he'd see it again.


	5. Chapter 5

This fiction has been requested by ObeliskX.  
This fiction is influenced by the works and critique of Sombereyes, who will continue to be an ongoing support for this fiction.  
This _is_ a gender-swapping fan fiction that plays with a multi-universe.  
I do not own Ah! My Goddess.

 **Life from Which the Pendulum Swings**

 **Chapter 5:**

 **Ah! The Tribulation of Time**

Belldandy wouldn't have it any other way. The day was beautiful for a midmorning, the leaves gently swaying in the breeze, the birds singing little tunes and fluttering from branch to branch. There could be no better way to enjoy the auspicious moment gifted by the heavens.

Belldandy was equally pleased that his first set of classes went as well as they did. "A mortal school, who would have thought that I would choose to attend one."

"Well, it's a university. That makes it a little bit different than a typical school that a kid would go to."

Both his, and Keiichi's books in hand he nodded as they made their way out of the central building. "It still seems so vast. In heaven schooling is limited to tutors. Families with enough prestige can afford them, but not everyone is so lucky."

The mortal woman was smart, but this was beyond her ken. "Then, how exactly do you get past the basics?"

Belldandy was confused. "The basics? You mean such as blessing the land with song and prayer? That's instinct."

"Uh, no." Keiichi looked visibly surprised now. " I mean like reading, writing, arithmetic, and don't forget about science and social studies. The stuff kids are supposed to learn."

"Oh that!" Belldandy laughed, he hadn't considered it, and rolled around how best to explain the answer. "Immortals are different. Our capabilities in those areas come naturally with time. Our minds are able to easily grasp such concepts."

Geeze," the short woman muttered. "Sounds like magic to me."

"Some part of it probably is," Belldandy admitted, though he had no way of knowing how much magic was involved. "You see, most immortals have a gift, and those gifts are our calling. Adults who haven't received tutoring go into schools when they get much older. However, keep in mind that working isn't limited to adults either. In heaven, there are children who also have important jobs."

"You probably should talk about that stuff out in the open," she could hardly believe it herself. She doubted any passerby would. "Some people... Well, you see, they might get offended."

Belldandy had suspected a few might, but merely smiled. "Everyone may choose to have faith, but it is also equally true that they might not. I honestly believe that my opinions, correct or not, will not hold ground under those assumptions."

Keiichi nodded, hands in the pockets of her cargo pants. "Maybe you're right."

She didn't know what to think. She'd seen enough to know that the man beside her wasn't a normal guy, but, a deity from the heavens? It was hard to accept. Her fingers ran over the thick leather square in her pocket. She didn't believe in carrying a purse, it was too much of a hassle to keep track of. She made due with a wallet when she could find jeans with big enough pockets. Absently, she played with the loose change she kept on hand and watched the pavement pass them by underfoot.

Finally a fork took two separate ways and Keiichi inclined her head to the left. "I should probably go to the club room."

"I'll come with you then."

It was a statement that a made Keiichi lift her eyes. A short time ago, the offer would have been as unwelcome as it was out of place. On this auspicious day, it was not so, as god and mortal took to wandering towards the shack that the auto club called their home.

"Don't gods have other things to do?"

"Whatever do you mean, Keiichi?"

"I don't know, things more godly?"

Belldandy merely chuckled. "My task is to bring joy into your life. I don't know if that is a very godly thing to do or not."

"In my humble opinion," Keiichi began, giving Belldandy a self-deprecating smirk, "it's really not."

"Perhaps, to you it might not be. It's what I want to do though, and it's the promise I intend to keep."

"Suit yourself."

Belldandy did, following closely behind. His own mind was occupied with a troublesome little truth that niggled at him. Keiichi was an interesting mortal, but, it had become clear that she was beginning to trust him.

The small moments of idle time became like magic, but they were few and far between. The mortal woman began to talk more, and Belldandy realized that Keiichi's life was filled to the brim with interesting moments too. There was always so much to do. Chores, school work, and club activities. It kept them busy. A week slipped right on by before the two of them had noticed it.

Belldandy would have been okay with that, if only he knew what that meant for him in the long run. Time dilatation made it difficult to discern just how long Belldandy would have. Sooner or later, the world that would call to him, and he didn't fancy leaving Keiichi behind.

Yet, somehow being a man was no longer as discomforting as it used to be.

It was strange sometimes, realizing how easy it was to be around Keiichi. That was all that really mattered any more. Being near Keiichi, sharing a life at her side. Belldandy felt as if he was on borrowed time, and sooner or later, the dream would end. It was undeniable, and he had to accept it for what it was worth.

He didn't dare tell Keiichi, though. He didn't want to hurt her.

Reaching out his hand to hold hers, they walked over to the bench and sat down with the other bantering club members. Separating and sitting in the two spaces left for them, the club meeting seemed to be in full swing. The automobile club was a group of wonderful people.

They got into their fair share of childlike mischief too, but, that was part of their charm.

The two largest trouble makers consisted of Tamiya, a dark hired, highly spirited, racing enthusiast. The tall woman sported white tank top coming only to her mid belly, where her firm abs made an appearance that could rival most of the sports teams. Her jeans were equally tight, her hips flaring only slightly.

"We can even do side bets, you'll see!"

And Otaki, a blond haired, bi-speckled young woman with a love of leather and heavy metal. Her glasses were shaded, and her piercings were plentiful. She was a slender young woman, and one of the few who kept up with that all too boisterous Tamiya.

"Yeah, you've got that right. I'd say we could probably make a killing. They'll come for miles to see our team win."

Together, the two of them weren't easy to manage, and as the heads of the auto club, they managed to cause a riot every single day.

"My," Belldandy laughed as he began to unpack Keiichi's lunch. "You're all very lively today."

"When aren't they?" Keiichi muttered with a shake of her head. "Planning another bet we'll probably lose?"

Tamiya gave Keiichi a look of disappointment. "I'm telling ya, this race is in the bag."

"You've been saying that all day, but Keiichi's right. What if we lose?" Sora asked from beside the bike he was working on. While reasonable, wasn't the most vocal in the club and often went unheard, or written off as cowardly. "We'd never be able to pay off the debts. This bike, well I hate to say it, but she's on its last wheel over here."

Tamiya wasn't to be dissuaded. "It rides, don't it?!"

"Well yeah," Keiichi jumped in sardonically, "but so does the rust bucket you call a car."

"Ain't nothing wrong with my car, Morisato." Tamiya huffed as she clutched at her bottled water, unscrewing the cap with too much force.

"I'm not saying there is," Keiichi said as she folded a napkin into her lap. "You've got to admit though, it's not exactly fit for racing either, now is it?"

Otaki while not the brightest academically, was great with her hands. Gnawing on a toothpick, she gave the bike a once over. "Well Morisato, you've got a point. The bike's seen better days. She's probably not racing material yet, but she'll get there."

"See? That's the beauty of it, we won't lose," Tamiya said with certainty, slapping her hand upon the table, and sending a bowl of fruit clattering to the ground.

"I don't know about that Tamiya," Keiichi sighed to the woman on the left. "Last time you made a bet, we ended up cleaning the entire campus with the cleaning crew. Top to bottom, the whole nine yards. I don't want to rehash that."

"Tell me about it," Sora agreed. "I think Keiichi has a point. No bets this time."

"Or any time..." Keiichi amended.

"Oh, come on Morisato," Tamiya said with a grin, nudging Keiichi with her elbow. "Have a little club spirit would ya?"

"Nothing doing," Keiichi muttered, "I've got too much homework for the weekend."

"It won't be so bad, will it?" Belldandy asked from his place across the table. "I'll probably be able to help. I have the same assignments, so it would be nice to study together."

"There, ya see! That's what I mean by club spirit," Tamiya laughed, slapping Keiichi on the back again. "So enough worrying about homework. The future of the auto club is at stake."

"You'll at least be able to pull third in race, right?" Otaki butted in, coming back to sit on Keiichi's right side.

"I can try," Keiichi said with shrug, finding her personal space shrinking by the moment.

"She better," Tamiya huffed as she gave Keiichi an aggravated look. "You're the ace, we need ya!"

Keiichi just smirked as she leaned over her nearly empty soda can. When Keiichi received another sandwich for her trouble, she thanked Belldandy and took a bite, starving from a hard morning of classes. Racing was a hungry sport, or so Keiichi had decided long ago. Training needed a full belly. "I never said I was the ace, Tamiya."

"I said you are, and I'm never wrong."

"I can think of more than a few times when you were," Keiichi muttered with a shake of her head. "I'll do the best I can, I just hope the rig can hold out."

"It's getting there," Sora said, blotting sweat away from his brow. "We could use a few more test runs on the new brakes though. I just switched out the fluid, so whenever we're ready, we can give it a go."

Keiichi paused, sandwich in hand, when Tamia slapped her on the back again. "What are we waiting for, Morisato?!"

"Can I at least finish my lunch first?" Keiichi asked wide eyed.

"There's plenty of time to eat later," Tamiya chortled, as she slung an arm around Keiichi's neck. "Come on, Morisato, let's hit the practice course."

"Yeah, you too, Belldandy. We need you to learn the ropes quick. When the co-ed races come up, you'll know your stuff." Otaki said, dragging the god along closely behind.

Sora followed behind the pack at a more leisurely pace as Tamiya rushed the group once more. "Hey, rookie, show us some hustle. If you do good, you can race this year too."

Sora hurried his pace, and for just one more afternoon, Belldandy experienced the joys of the auto club.

Earth was different, faster, more hurried in every single moment. The sun had to set eventually. It fell to Belldandy and Keiichi to finish looking after the small, messy club room. It was as good a time as any to spruce up the messy shelves and dusty knickknacks.

Cloth in hand, Belldandy thought aloud. "This place, it means a great deal to you, doesn't it Keiichi?"

"Hmm, well, I suppose it does," Keiichi said quietly as she sorted through old driving manuals and user guides. "I don't know, I've always liked racing, so I just sort of joined the club when I had the chance. It's just something to pass the time."

"I see," Belldandy had refrained from using his powers freely around the mortal woman, since the sight of the blue light had frightened her once before. Repairing a broken picture frame only took a moment though, and as he righted the glass back into its proper place, he realized the photo was one of this year's club members.

Keiichi was in the middle, with her hands stuffed into her pockets. She looked at little bit out of place, but no more than Sora, who looked like a deer caught in headlights. The two of them were perhaps the least photogenic of the bunch, but they were the two Belldandy noticed first.

"Humans are surprising."

"Huh?"

"Humans, such as yourself, and the other members of the auto club."

"I don't know what you mean," Keiichi admitted as she tossed out some old papers. Coming across a bunch old parts that could be kept in a storage bin, she began to gather them. "I never thought of that. Maybe I just don't have the time, or maybe it's too much effort to think that way."

 _"_ _Or maybe you're afraid to trust your own instincts."_ Belldandy thought to himself, but didn't dare to say it. "I've noticed that when you're here, you smile quite a bit. When you go home at night, all of that joy just slips away."

"Tamiya and Otaki keep me busy. I guess I just go with the flow."

"Life has a funny way of doing that," Belldandy agreed with a smile. "Don't forget, finding happiness is important. Finding joy, and learning to keep it are the most important things in life. Happy people, well, it seems to me that they find success too."

"Maybe," Keiichi murmured, her voice non-committal as she dusted off her hands. "I've always figured hard work and motivation were the things a person needed. I've been wrong before, but knowing that doesn't do me any good."

"Those things are important," Belldandy agreed. "But, wouldn't you be more motivated if you were happy?"

"I wouldn't doubt it."

"Forgive me, but I sense some hesitation."

"What do I say to that?" Keiichi asked as she pushed her bangs away from her eyes. "You're some sort of god, or something. Wouldn't you have some sort of magic to know the future?"

The look of surprise permeated the room between them, making them freeze. Blue eyes blinked first, shying away from those of soft brown. His voice tenderly replaced the presence of his gaze. "Some can. There are many that do, I am not one of them."

Looking down at her hands, Keiichi sighed. "You asked me if I would be more motivated if I was a happier person. It's just, I don't measure the choices in my life like that. I want to feel alive."

"Racing makes you feel that way?"

Keiichi nodded. "When I race, it's just me and the track. All other reason just sort of floats away. I want more of my life to be like that."

"Life, in my experience, can have many moments such as that," Belldandy said, he gazed out to the all too high moon, a mere sliver of the fullness that could be seen from the heavens.

In order to live so freely, Keiichi would have to cast aside all doubt. She would have to have such a deep sense of faith in herself, and Belldandy feared for the possibility of it all. With desire came the possibility of willpower and that was no question. Yet, desire was also a crippling thing. It could leave a person trembling with fear, there was no in-between.

Routine was the easy thing to turn to, but, not if you always wanted to 'feel alive' as Keiichi put it. As a goddess back home, Belldandy favored the mundane. Domestic duties came naturally. As a god, he found himself awed by the fact that the system force was not in charge. There was more free will here. More gray area about governing the many peoples of creation.

It was all so confusing.

Even as the woman slept later that evening in the comfort of her own bed, Belldandy felt the urge to glance into her dreams. He wanted to see what Keiichi saw. To experience what the mortal treasured, feared, and considered to be the ultimate truth concerning her own life.

It was a vice Belldandy would not bend to.

Instead, this left a sour taste in the god's mouth, he even as he felt a strange twinge of power calling to him.

 _"_ _I think, it is strange, but I think I feel your soul getting weaker. I cannot be sure, are you alright?"_ Holybell asked without forming beside the former goddess, his voice thick with concern.

 _"_ _Time's dilatation, it calls to me."_ Belldandy murmured.

 _"_ _This was my master's assignment. If you must go, do not hold yourself back, merely go."_

 _"_ _No, I cannot, I am not finished here."_

 _"_ _You are sure of this?"_

 _"_ _No, I am not sure of anything, but I cannot simply leave."_

Keiichi slept soundly, unknowing of the dilemma surfacing in her very own apartment. Belldandy was grateful that she wouldn't have to know, that, if the other world called, Keiichi would never be the wiser.

The power grew more forceful, like a drain trying to pull the goddess from within the god back. In a flash of light that was distant, a dark tunnel opened.

Holybell reached out, grasping onto the goddess within. Together they held fast, but, the other world was too strong for either of them to keep fighting.

 _"_ _Holybell, I do need to return before I'm forcefully yanked back, but rest assured that I will return. My time here, it is not yet over. This mission is mine, not your master's. I will be the one to see it into completion. For now though, I must entrust Keiichi to you. Know that it will not be permanent, and that I will return as quickly as I can."_

 _"_ _You desire my master's world so much?"_

 _"_ _Nhm-nhm,"_ Belldandy sounded with disapproval. _"No, it is not that. I made a promise to Keiichi, I will grant her at the very least so much. Besides, I'd like to be there when her soul finds the light within. I want her to make a heavenly wish, and I'd like to be able to grant it to her, too."_

 _"_ _Come back soon then, on the blessings of your heaven,"_ Holybell said hopefully. "I'll be waiting."

As Belldandy let go, the angel noticed that the fleeting palm ghosting over his was that of her goddess form. She had been right, it would be too hard to battle off the call of her world. Instead, he watched her slip away, and felt his master's powerful spirit come to life once more, embodying the vessel that the goddess had for so long.

* * *

The pull was too powerful.

When blue eyes opened, it was goddesses that loomed overhead, peering down with concern.

"Where am I? Home ...or... or someplace else?"

Urd, she was the first to speak. "Belldandy, are you okay?"

"What a place to accept the trial," Neith sighed with a shake of her head, her expression bemused in spite of herself. "Out in the middle of the forest where anyone could just pick you up and walk away with you."

Her head hurt, but, Belldandy could still clearly remember what it was like. All of her memories as a god had remained intact. "I was thinking, and the next thing I knew, I was pulled in. I must return, I'm-I'm-I'm not done yet."

Neith shook her head. "You must rest, it has been an ordeal. It always is."

"No, Sensei, I cannot wait," Belldandy said with a sigh, trying to clear her head. "I must return quickly. I must, there-there is... This will sound crazy, but there is a mortal woman who needs my help. I cannot rest here, there is no time."

"Bell, you're pretty disorientated right now," Urd said with concern, a dark hand coming to wave near her sister's face. "You've been out here in the elements for days. I think you should listen to Neith on this one."

"I made a contract with this mortal," Belldandy urged biting her lower lip.

"Any contract you made will inevitably be taken over by the god in that world. I'm sure he most capable of doing so, you have no commitment to go back," Neith explained firmly, unwilling to hear more. "I doubt you should. It's as if you're getting attached to a home that is not your own."

Belldandy could not accept that answer. Her heart was set, and, when she felt that way, she always saw her innermost desire to the end. "Do you have any idea what kind of universe sits on the other side of that bauble? There is no system force. It's an era of war, humans are being used on either side for personal gain. The mortals there suffer, as does the earth around them. It's not a restful place."

Neith sighed at great length. "The mortals here are not always restful either. That's why we have wish granters in the first place, because no creation is truly perfect."

"I _know_ that," Belldandy pleaded, "but..."

"Belldandy? Oh, thank the heavens!" That voice belonged to her mother, who came rushing by to embrace her daughter. "We were so worried. Where have you been?"

Neith held out the orb that Belldandy had been pulled from. Understanding swept across the woman's face, followed by understanding. "The trial," the woman said now that her worried soul had been eased. "You saw a great many things I'd gather."

"Mother, I don't understand, it hasn't even been two weeks." Belldandy reached for the orb Neith held in hand, but the goddess moved it out of reach. "How was I able to come back so soon?"

"I couldn't begin to say," Her mother said looking to Neith for answers.

"I ripped out the code that locked you in place," Neith said quietly. "We had no other way of knowing if you were safely inside. We had to be sure that you were not taken away. Doing that takes a toll on you. It's not supposed to be done so forcefully."

"We're wasting precious time. I must go back." Belldandy said sternly. "This is not something that I can concede on. Please release the orb back into my possession."

"Why the rush?" Her mother said with a soft laugh as she plucked a blade of grass from her daughter's hair.

"The girl accepted a contract," Neith explained to the young goddess's mother. "She feels connection to an obligation that was never truly intended for her."

"It is far more complicated than a mere contract, but, that is what it is." Belldandy told them, looking directly at her mother. "There is a mortal woman on the other side of that contraption. I've taken responsibility towards her. I've made a vow to the almighty, and a promise to that mortal."

Her mother sat quietly for a moment, hands on her daughter's shoulders, taking it all in. Finally after some time, she came to her own personal conclusion. "As a first class goddess myself, I can see the issue you take with leaving such a thing unfinished. As your mother, I fear you may have accepted a very heavy burden."

"Yet is it mine to accept, is it not?"

"Listen to my child, so full of bluster. You remind me of myself, back when I was your age." The humor in her mother's voice didn't last long. Eventually the dark haired woman's tone grew serious. "Belldandy, it is not so simple a thing to travel across universes. It is even more complicated to remain where you do not truly belong. That may in fact be a bit irresponsible."

"At what point does the past end, and the future begin?" Belldandy asked, her eyes slightly moist, but a smile upon her lips. "I must live in the moment I am given, or it will be gone. Perhaps… Yes, I believe it so. I believe that is why I am most suited to the mission I choose to take."

"You are determined," Belldandy's mother concluded with a nod. "You will not listen to reason, will you?"

Belldandy wondered that, looking to Urd, who now knelt by her side. "A woman of this house, reasonable? When have any of us been considered such a thing?"

"You are usually mild mannered, daughter of mine." Still, the elder goddess was not surprised in the least. Her husband, Tyr, was often bandied about by the higher courts for taking such a willful women to bed. It would stand only to reason that his daughters were equally obstante by nature.

"Yet as your daughter, must I be so all the time?" Belldandy asked.

Independence, that's what the girl wanted, her mother was sure. She sighed deeply, such was the plight of all young goddesses at one point or another. Who was she to deny Belldandy that simple little thing, come of it what may? "Neith, tell me, it is possible for her to return to her assigned duty, isn't it?"

"It is, but…" The goddess that weaved fate frowned deeply. "I don't think it wise."

"Wise or not, it is the path Belldandy has chosen. She will be set on this, and trying to dissuade her will prove fruitless."

"I will need some time to amend the program," Neith said after considering the three sets of eyes glairing into her. There was something about the dark skinned goddess, Urd, that bothered her. Urd said nothing, but her smirk promised trouble if Belldandy were to be denied. "It takes time to put a sealing array back into place."

Belldandy's mother shook her head. "Then simply don't put one on."

"Of all the ludicrous thing's I've heard," Neith shook her head. "Almighty would have something to say to that, and it would not be prosperous."

"I will take responsibility, Belldandy is my child, not yours. I asked you to do this. If something were to go wrong, I will shoulder the entirety of the blame."

"You've gone mad," still, in spite of herself, Neith handed the orb over to the young goddess. "Without a seal, she'll be able to travel in-between the two universes at whim, but she must be careful. The seal isn't only meant to keep her inside, it's also meant to keep others out. If someone with ill-intent were to slip to the other side, the ramifications could be catastrophic."

"I'll watch it," Urd said pleasantly with a hand on Belldandy's shoulder.

"There you see," Belldandy said with a voice filled with relief. "There is nothing to worry about."

"Except for the fact that it's Urd," Neith let a hand rest on her head, trying to rub away the splitting headache.

Her step-mother sent her a worried glance. "You have enough on your hands with your baby sister while I'm away at court."

"Belldandy's going to be in a damn orb," Urd protested, finally glad to see some hint of rebellion in her younger sister. "It's not like she's going to roll away. I can manage."

"I knew the two of you would be terrible influences on each other," the goddess looked to her children, one of blood, one of oath, and found herself wondering where the time had gone. They were adults, the both of them, though they were still far too young to have the foresight either of them required. "Alright Urd, you can be Belldandy's keeper until she returns from her mission," she said quietly, before turning to Belldandy. "You, young lady, you have to promise to report in every now and then. Gallivanting around in a creation that is not your own, look at the upstarts I've raised."

Belldandy promised to return home, she swore by that.

Her eyes gazed into the orb, and she was gone once again…

* * *

The transference between words was a strange one, but soon, Began began to feel heavenly code once again twist and turn as it morphed. He had thought he'd get used to the feeling, having it already happen once before. It was an experience unlike any other. Yet, with no lock to seal him in place, he found himself groping around in what seemed to be darkness.

There was nothing to propel him forward, nor yank him back.

An angelic hand reached out for Belldandy's. He grabbed for it, and when they touched, the program transfer was completed, and as if cell by sell everything finished rearranging.

Then the god began to sense the sounds of the city. The putrid stench of the city dump not far away, and he could smell it.

"It seems as if the heavens saw mercy. I was worried you might not return," Holybell greeted the god with a hug. "My master had faith that you would though, and told me that if he suddenly fell asleep, to bring his body here."

Belldandy opened his eyes, seeing that he was on the roof across the street from Keiichi's apartment. It was his usual haunt at night, as it gave him a clear view of the window, and the street down below. "How long was I away?"

"Only a few hours," Holybell said, his eyes marked on a blond haired demon who seemed all too willing to camp out on another rooftop not far away. The blond haired creature sneered and began to scurry away, but Holybell ignored him. "Keiichi's been quite the popular young lady tonight, it seems to me."

Belldandy looked around, sensing a devil, but he couldn't see where it had gone off to. "Probably just keeping watch."

"Filthy things, devils," Holybell said with a shudder. "There's a first class barrier surrounding the apartment, Keiichi should be safe while we purify."

Belldandy had been sneaking off to the spring, but with a devil around, he felt uncomfortable doing that. "Actually, Holybell, I believe I might prefer a bath."


End file.
